Data shows Tennessee dog bites down, but is personal injury?

Tennessee readers often do not have to look far to find stories of horrific and devastating dog attacks. Unfortunately, these attacks often result in personal injury to children or the elderly who may be unable to defend themselves against a dog. Recently, State Farm Insurance has released data regarding dog bite cases reported across all 50 states, and found that Tennessee ranks number 19 in the nation.

In honor of National Dog Bite Prevention Week that ran from May 19-25, data was compiled from 2011 and 2012 to see how our state stacks up in dog bite cases. According to the data, the number of dog bites in Tennessee declined from 78 to 66. While this decrease is promising, the dangers of a dog attack in any state are still very real.

Overall, it has been reported that dog bite cases have been on the decline in much of the United States. According to State Farm’s data, there were 3,750 dog bite claims in 2011, and 3,670 in 2012. In monetary terms, these reports represent $109 and $108 million respectively.

Unfortunately, even declining numbers of dog attacks does not mean that the danger of a dog attack or the severity of the personal injury that they can cause is not a concern for Tennessee residents. Anyone in our state who is concerned about suffering a dog attack, or who has suffered a dog attack may benefit from the resources available during National Dog Bite Prevention Week. One of the key steps to obtaining relief following a dog attack may also be to secure the advice and support of those in the community who can provide relevant information regarding dog attack matters.

Source: wgnsradio.com, “Number of Dog Bite Incidents in Tennessee is DOWN,” May 16, 2013